NSN Cycling Team has confirmed the signing of Biniam Girmay on a three-year contract through to the end of 2028, a landmark move that brings one of the sport’s most influential figures into a team undergoing a rapid and ambitious transformation.
The Eritrean, already a history-making presence in the peloton and a trailblazer for African cycling, arrives as a marquee recruit. His capture signals both intention and identity for NSN ahead of 2026. Girmay brings Tour de France stage wins, a green jersey, Giro d’Italia success, Monuments-level capability and a global profile built on talent, humility and emotional connection.
General Manager Kjell Carlström said the timing could not be better for either side.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Biniam to NSN Cycling Team. Not only will 2026 mark a new chapter for the team but it also represents one for Biniam, and I could not think of a better moment to begin that journey together. His talent is obvious but his humility and drive are what make him extraordinary. From the first conversation, it was clear he shares our vision both on and off the bike.”
Photo Credit: ASO-Billy CeustersA new environment and a new sprint train
Girmay, now 25, emphasised the appeal of stepping into a fresh atmosphere, surrounded by an ambitious squad and a well-drilled lead-out structure.
“I am really happy to be here, especially with a new atmosphere and a new beginning for me and for the team. I always like to have a good environment inside a team and I already heard so many positive things from my new teammates. When I look back at the last two years, the team has improved so much. There is a really good team spirit.
“Looking at the sprint train, they were always strong and they motivated each other a lot in races. I heard them many times on the radio and I am really looking forward to working together. I see a great opportunity here and I feel this is the best thing for my future.”
Girmay’s arrival shifts NSN’s sprint ambitions instantly. His versatility has long set him apart: the turn of speed to win bunch sprints, the punch to survive hard classics, and the racecraft to read chaotic finales.
A palmarès that changed cycling history
Girmay’s list of achievements is already remarkable for a rider of his age.
He became the first black African cyclist to win a Grand Tour stage at the Giro d’Italia in 2022, the first African to win a major classic when he triumphed at Gent-Wevelgem that same spring, and the first African to wear – and ultimately win – the green jersey at the Tour de France in 2024. That Tour delivered three stage victories and cemented him as one of the world’s most reliable fast finishers.
Across his career so far he has won 16 professional races, including key victories at the Tour de Suisse, Circuit Franco Belge, Surf Coast Classic, and on stages of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo and the Tour du Rwanda. He has twice finished second at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, contended in major cobbled races and climbed onto the podium at the U23 Worlds in 2021.
Even in 2025, his consistency was evident, recording podiums at Dunkerque, Köln and the Grand Prix de Wallonie, plus top tens in Bretagne, Hamburg, Gent Wevelgem and Mallorca.
Yet Girmay is clear that he is not finished.
“To be honest, I never look back at what I achieved. I always look to the future. What is done is done, so I do not want to be satisfied. I always want more. I really love winning the classics, and so far I only won Gent Wevelgem. I want to achieve more with the team. I believe one day we can win one of the biggest races in cycling together.”
Photo Credit: Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgencyA signing that strengthens NSN’s Racing for Change mission
Girmay’s transfer is also deeply symbolic for the team’s Racing for Change project. NSN has already transformed local opportunities in Rwanda through the Field of Dreams cycling centre in Bugesera, and Girmay’s presence could help expand similar pathways into Eritrea, where cycling is woven into the country’s sporting identity.
“In Eritrea, cycling is our culture – it is in our blood. As an African rider, I want to develop African cycling. The team already did incredible things. I am super happy to be part of a team with a big project in Rwanda. It is a nice combination – an African rider and a team committed to developing cycling on the continent.
“We need people who can give opportunities, bring riders to Europe or give them the facilities they need. I will support that from the bottom of my heart. If we create these opportunities, we will see more Eritrean and African riders in the biggest races.”
The next phase of a transformational career
From winning his first mountain bike race aged 12, to moving to the World Cycling Centre as a teenager, to breaking barriers in the WorldTour, Girmay’s rise has already reshaped perceptions of what African riders can achieve on the global stage. His move to NSN Cycling Team marks the beginning of another significant chapter – for him, for the team, and potentially for African cycling as a whole.
With his prime years still ahead, and NSN’s ambitions growing, the partnership arrives at exactly the right moment.
